1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluorescence measuring instrument for micro samples. More particularly, the present invention relates to a measuring instrument and a measuring method for measuring a micro fluorescent spot on a sample such as a microchip.
2. Description of the Related Art
LOC (Lab-on-a-chip) technologies have been and are being studied and developed for the purpose of downsizing known measuring instruments and allowing a very small quantity of a liquid reagent to react with a sample. For preparing a LOC, a groove is formed on the surface of a chip made of plastic, glass or silicon and having a surface of several to ten centimeters square or less so as to make a quantity of the sample such as a blood minute. Then, a reagent solution or a sample is made to flow in the groove for isolation and reaction in order to analyze a very small quantity of the sample. Such a technique provides advantages including that it can reduce the quantity of sample, the quantity of reagent and the quantity of wastes including the consumables used for detection and waste liquid as well as the time required for detection.
Measuring instruments to be used with LOC technologies include those that are designed to detect fluorescence from a very small quantity of a sample by irradiating a substrate (micro array) with excitation light.